Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 1

Ml Fn'dex to Today Herald Editorials Page 6 Radio Page IS Society Page 8 Comics Page 11 Household Page 9 Sports Page 10 Vol. 67 No. 274 DECATUR, ILLINOIS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1946 14 PAGES 5 CENTS MFRALD.fteVIEW BUSINESS OFFICE MnfiiT-smiirrtay-B 30 n. to p. m.

DECATUR STORE HOURS HffnJT 12 rifton to 8 3f m. TtiPrty-PturrtiiT 0 30 a ni. to 5 p. m. RANK HOURS St mi Jy-Friday 0 30 m.

to 2 30 p. m. (Uturdar 9 30 a. to noon DECATUR ERALO Id to Four Killed, 100 Injured in Carolina Laundry Blast Walkout May Begin Tonight; Lewis Silent Ily J. W.

DAVIS Of the Associated Pre Washington. Nov. 19 The Army announced tonight it Gasoline Truck Driver Dies in Logan Crash Consumer Price MISSING ft i -IS" A -k'st More Believed Dead in Flame Swept Building Greenville, S. C. Nov.

19 (AP) Four persons were known to have been killed and over 100 injured In an explosion that demolished the Ideal laundry plant office building here tonight. As lorn as four hours aftrr the terrific blast wrecked the hrick building a few moments before fl 30 m. firemen were fighting flames itart'-d bv the explosion. The fire was reported under ntro! although workers were not et able to search the wreckage for bod.es of an undetermined number ef workers believed to have lost their lives in the blast. Two Identilicd Of the four known dead, two were identified by Coroner J.

O. Turner as J. Ca.rl Trammel and J. "Wyiie Mims, white supervisory laundry employes The other two were not identified. Pieccd-together reports indicated that over 100 persons had been treated for injuries.

Greenville's two major hospitals that 16 persons had been admitted, three in critical condition. One was a fireman who was on duty at a station at the rear of the laundry. At lenst four dwellings bordering on the laundry were severely damaged and the occupants of some mere among the injured. On Suspected While the cause of tie explosion had not been officially determined, reports said officials of the laundry had found gatr escaping from the plant's recently installed heating system shortly before the explosion. While the death toll was officially ct at four a few hours after the bUst, earlier Fire Chief Frank D' nald told reporters he person-, had seen the bodies of at leaft seven victims.

At the same time an ambulance driver, who was not identified, raid he had brought out at least 11 bodies. Harry Coggins, a Greenville news reporter, said he saw four bodies on a sidewalk as he rushed to the scene. It w.k unofficialy estimated that 4.1 persons were employed on the night shift. Alarm Radioed An alarm wan radioed to Greenville police headquarters seconds after the explosion by Patrolman Chsrhe Pitts, who was in his police car only half a block away. Ke reported that the concussion from the blit swerved his car and stunned him.

Within a matter of minutes all the city's fire-fighting equipment was dispatched to the scene, all Greenville doctors were alerted, polite, boy rcouts and uniformed taxi-cab drivers were mobilized nd lrxal ambulances, taxis, private cars and police curs were pressed into service. Ambulances also were dispatched from Anderson about 32 miles away. Hospital nurses rode in ambulances and Red Cross nurres set up l.rst aid stations in the devastated area. Report filtering in after the explosion said window panes a mile and a half from the scene were brr ken. while a number of show windows in the business district, e.ght blocks away, were shattered.

Adams Predicts Next Crash Will Dward 1929 New York, Nov. ID IAP) Jarr.es Truslow Adams, historian and wri'er. said today "the next crash will make 1929 look like a p.ker" Adams, a former member of the New York stock exchange who won the Pulitzer prize for Amcr-i an history in 1922, made the prediction at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. "After every war, eventually the loss of capital goods has to be made good, and it can only be made good the hard wav," Adams sd. In this World War we have destroyed more capital goods than ever before in the history of the weld and the crash will be correspondingly great" Of Sugar Hiked Half Cent Pound Washington, Nov.

19 CAP) O.P.A. today ordered an increase in refiners' raw sugar prices and said the action would mean an in crease of about a half cent a pound to consumers. The boost, the agency said, will add about 50 million dollars a year to the consumer food bill. The increases are effective Wednes day for refiners, but O. P.

A. said the boost to consumers would not go into effect until retailers re ceive their first shipment nt the enhanced prices. An increase of 36.5 cents per 100 pounds was authorized for raw cano sugar and direct consumption raw sugar. The latter is sugar used without further refining, by tobacco, candy and other manufacturers. An increase of 40 cents per 100 pounds-was authorized for other direct consumption sugars, includ ing semi-refined sugar.

Includes Cane, Beet An O.P.A. official said the in crease in prices will apply equally to refined cane and beet sugars to maintain the established price dif ferentials between the two prod ucts. O.P.A. attributed tho increase, the second in two months, to provisions of the' sugar buying agreement be tween the Commodity Credit Corp. and the Cuban government cover ing the 1946 and 1947 Cuban sugar crop.

The agreement ties the price paid for Cuban sugar to specified rises in the cost of living in this coun try. "Because of the acceleration of food decontrol and the resulting advance in the index of retail food prices," O.P.A. said, "the CC.C. must pay higher prices for sugar than were anticipated nt the time of the sugar price increases granted on Sept. 18.

1946." Subsidies Drop The" agency added that under provisions of the new price control act, the CC.C. is prohibited from paying more than $3,675 per 100 pounds for raw sugar without pass ing on the additional cost. The September price increase boosted retail sugar prices by about two cents per pound. It also was attributed to the advance in prices paid for Cuban sugar. While domestically produced su gar.

including that from Hawaii and Puerto Rico, also will be cov ered by the new price increases, the O.P.A. official explained the in creases will bring a corresponding drop in government subsidy pay ments on domestic sugar. Romanian Vote Protest Filed Bucharest, Romania, Nov. 20 (AP) Brig. Gen.

Courtland van Rens selaer Schuyler, head of the U. military mission to Romania, pro tested to the Romanian government Tuesday night against the picketing of the American mission office by supporters of Premier Petru Groza's Communist-dominated gov ernment. The protest declared that in some places in the capital voters and poll watchers of opposition parties were not allowed access to the polls. There also were complaints that the names of a great many persons were omitted from the voting re gistcr. Even before today's balloting both Britain and the United States had criticized the election as unfair to factions opposing Premier Petru Groza's Communist-dominated gov ernment.

The protest was filed by the Na tional Liberal. National Peasant and Independent Socialist parties. Meanwhile, the government issued a communique charging that Mihai Romniceanu, National Liberal opposition minister, led an opposition group which attacked and occupied the Galac prefecture. The prefecture later was cleared and Romniceanu was held responsible for the incident by Groza's cabinet, the bulletin said. Atlmd Opening Hrsslon Dale C'arnt-Kie Course tn Effective SpcHking.

Human Relations and Sales Psychology at Masonic Temple Wednesday. November 20. 1946 7:30 P. M. Public Invited See a Class in Action.

Veterans Accepted under O. I. Bill o( was prepared to take a hand in the coal crisis if requested, while John L. Lewis preserved an impenetrable silence on a federal court order designed to head off a full-scale bituminous strike. Lewis.

United Mine Workers chief, gave no slightest hint of his attitude toward the order, under which lie risks jail unless he cancels his notice that his contract with the government Is terminated Wednesday midnight. The miners, to whom the words "no contract" are traditionally a signal to fling down their tools, were jumping the gun. Revised figures by the Solid Fuels Administration showed that the situation has idled 288 government-operated mines employing 89,000 men. Estimates in the field were even higher. The S.FA.

calculated today's loss of production at 468,707 tons. Army Ready The War department issued a statement saying: "1. Upon call from the Federal Coal Administrator, the War department is prepared to cooperate fully in meeting the requirement set. "2. To date, no call has been received." Colonel J.

R. Pierce, deputy chief of iffc public relations division, said the statement was Issued in response to questions whether the Army was prepared to call out troops or take other action in the event of a strike. A clause in the order under which the mines were seized by the government says that the federal coal mines administrator may call upon other government departments for needed assistance. Often in the past, however, United Mine Workers members have said: "You can't mine coal with bayonets." The approach of the Wednesday midnight deadline means that Lewis will have to decide his course quickly. "Brownouts" Talked Even should he promptly withdraw his notice to the government that his working contract with it is terminated Wednesday, as the court directed him to do, much coal production is sure to have been lost Government officials talked of possible electricity "brown outs." While Lewis' demands for a new contract have never been specified, they presumably Include higher pay.

One report is that he wants the same pay for a 40-hour week as for the present 54-hour week which includes 19 hours of overtime. The government, from President Truman on down, says Lewis doesn't even have the right to terminate the contract it has with him. U.M.W. lawyers conferred at length of what to do next Lewis apparently stayed completely away from union headquarters, staying in a suite he has taken nt the downtown Carlton hotel. The S.F.A.

said its idleness figures represented about a fifth of the miners normally employed east of the Mississippi river. This same east-of-the-Mississippl area would be the hardest hit from the standpoint of electricity rationing as most of its electricity is generated by coal. A Civilian Production Administration spokesman said the government is preparing for lighting "brownouts" and for rationing of electricity and manufactured gas if the strike goes on. May Ration Electricity The brownout proposals probably would be made to governors of all the states east of the Mississippi, plus Iowa, Wisconsin. Missouri and Minnesota.

They would not be mandatory. Last spring, when Lewis' miners were out for 59 days, the government suggested to 23 states that they ration electricity in progressive stages. A number of cities in the East and Middle West imposed brownouts. One order of last spring which might be re-invoked empowered manufacturers of arlficial gas and mixed gas to ration consumers' supplies when their coal stocks fell below a three-week supply. The rationing of electricity and gas would be in addition to such previously announced plans as curtailing the use of coal by railroads, the halting of coal exports, the diversion of available coal to Please turn to Page 2 "CotX" collision with an automobile near here.

A. D. Short, 75, of Emden, driver of the car, was receiving treatment tonight for Driver Burned Near Emden conscious and his clothes flaming, from the wrecked truck. After the two vehicles collided the truck jackknifed and rolled over several times going 100 feet down route 121 and exploding. Carrying 3.475 gallons of gasoline and 575 gallons of kerosene, the truck caught fire.

Smoke billowed 400 feet into the air, and the vehicle burned for over three hours. Awe and John Kurtz were an eighth of a mile from the crash scene. The former reached the truck first, dragged Nettles from the cab, and the men stripped him of his burning clothing. Surviving Nettles are his wife and two children. The body was taken to the Sheets funeral home here and will be removed Wednesday to Centralia for services and burial.

Coroner Marvin Hulchcrnft wilj conduct an inquest, date for which was not set tonight. Cloudy DKCATUK AM) VICINITY: In creasing cloudiness and ronlinued mild Wednesday and Wednesday night. Thursday cloudy and mild followed by occasional rain and turning colder late Thursday afternoon er night. High Wednesday 58; low Wednesday night 44. High Thursday 55.

ny U. S. Weather llureau utnu Ily Prof. Selliy Maxwell LOCAL WKATIIICR Tucs. Mon.

Tups. Mon. 7 a. m. 35 26 Precip.

Noon 59 47 Wed. Thurs. 7 p. m. 45 38 Sun Highest 62 52 Rises 6:47 6:49 Lowest 33 26 Sets 4:41 4:41 TKMI'EKATliRKS' 22 2.1 21 25 2( SNOW ij-V-x AO-' fi PARKY PARTLY 7 oaRAIN CUTUOY lOUDY CLOUOY FAIR JO COOl-af vl Lincoln.

Nov. 19 Walter Nettles, 32, of Cenlralia died at 8:30 p. m. today in St. Clara's hospital of second degree burns Rail Union Head Assails Truman As Mob Product Atlantic City.

N. Nov. 19 (AP) C.I.O. convention delegates today heard A. F.

Whitney, head of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen lambnst President Truman and call Jjim a "Pcndcrgast cesspool" pro duct. Whitney, whose independent union recently was wooed unsuc cessfully by the C. I. O. declared that trainmen had "no more re spect" for Truman than for "the Pcndcrgast cesspool from which he gained political recognition." The speech was dessert for the 584 delegates, turning their attention from a 1947 platform based on wage and legislation resolutions close to their hearts.

"Since the reins of government have fallen into the hands of the Pendcrgnst gang, the brotherhood's political influence has temporarily been on the wane," Whitney told the C.I.O.'s eighth convention. The late Tom Pcndcrgast dom-nntcd a political machine in Kan sas City. from where Truman was elected to the United States senate. Whitney, still smarting under Tru man's decision last May to order the army to operate strike-bound railroads if necessary, said labor must be on the lookout" for at tempts to turn members against their unions and leaders. Whitney said the Truman administration had become Republican, adding: 'Or I may say it another way the difference may be aptly re presented as between twecdlc dc dee and twecdlc de dum." Acute Shortage Of Gas Seen Washington.

Nov. 19 (AP) The Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Co. predicted today an acute short age of natural gas in eight states unless wholesale customers cooperate in a conservation program. O. W.

Morton, counsel for Pan handle, declared at a hearing be fore a federal power commission examiner that some curtailment of service was necessary to assure ad equate supplies for domestic and ether essential consumers this win ter. 'Wo face," he said, "what could be a catastrophe." Morton aded that without curtol- ments a dozen towns, including ono "very large" one, might be without service in the event of extremely cold weather. He declined to name the communities. The hearing was called ns a re sult of protests from wholesalers Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana and Illinois which buy fuel from Panhandle for resale. Drain Tubf-Slnsle SS.M-Double 112.M.

Cash-Carry Spec. Conn's 841 N. Water-Adv. i Berkeley. Nov.

19 A slate-wide search is being made for Lorraine Gcrlieh, 19. University of California coed who left her boarding house here Nov. 13 after burning her schoolgirl diary. She hasn't been heard from since. (AP Willi; PHOTO) Belgium, Syria, Colombia Win Council Seats New York, Nov.

19 (AP) Belgium, Colombia and Syria won two-year seats on the United Nations Security Council today by substantial margins over six other nations in a single ballot of the 54-mcmbcr U. N. Assembly. The three countries will replace Mexico, the Netherlands and Egypt next Jan. 1 on the important 11-mcmbcr council, which is the Assembly's agent for watching over the peace the entire United Nations has sworn to preserve.

Colombia, which will maintain the geographical representation of the Latin American nations on the council, received 51 of the 54 votes. Next came Syria, the representative of the Middle East and of the Arab states, with 45. Belgium, succeeding the Netherlands ns the Western European representative, won 43 votes. Thirty-six were required for election. Three New I'.

N. Members The election came immediately aftcf the Assembly adopted an Egyptian resolution denouncing discrimination anywhere in the world and after the U. N. membership had been raised from 51 to 54 by the seating of Aghanistan, Iceland and Sweden. In a contest for six vacancies on the economic and social council, the United States was re-elected with 51 voles on the first ballot.

Venezuela and New Zealand, new to the council, were chosen with 16 and 41 votes, respectively. On Please turn to Page 2 Man Shot, Son Stepson Held Bloomington, Nov. 19 (AP) Victor E. Geraci, a freight han dler, was shot and fatally wounded tonight and Sheriff Earl Richards said Geraci's stepson and son were being detained for questioning. Sheriff Richards said the fatal shot was fired through a window while Geraci was in his home engaged in a family argument.

Ho said the stepson, Roy Cutler, 14. and son, Robert Geraci, 11, were being held at the county jail without charge. Young Cutter was picked up on the outskirts of Bloomington, Richards said, and Robert was picked up by Bloomington city police. The sheriff said Cutter did not make any statement but Richards quoted young Geraci as saying he was in the bathroom of the home at the time of the shooting and "did not see a thing." The Geracis live just oulsidothc city. Geraci died at a hospital a half hour after the shooting.

Mnrhinelejs oil Permanent $6 50. Others $4 SO up Ail hrmily services. P.vrnlni! Appointment MM Hawbaker, 1042 S. Wehaler. Phone 2-08111 Adv.

Portable, single, heavily galvanized rotl- nibs. 18 9S. We deliver. Gebhart-Gushard. 6th Floor.

-Adv. a serious head injury and bruises a bout the body in Deaconess hospital. Doughfon Urges Caution in Tax Cutback Moves Washington. Nov. 19 AP) Rep.

Robert L. Doughton D-N. C), chairman of the tax-writing House and means committee for 12 years, declared today he would favor no reduction in taxes "until the federal budget is balanced and some payment is made on the public debt." The veteran legislator made this statement to ncsnicn who asked him to comment on a Republican proposal to cut individual income taxes by 20 per cent in 1947 and lo reduce excise levies sharply beginning next July. Rep. Harold Knutson who succeeds Doughton as ways and means chairman, has set tax reduction as the first committee business when the new Congress convenes.

Doughton voiced willingness to cooperate enthusiastically in reasonable government economies. Emphasizing he stressed, that one means for trimming government expenditures is for slate and local governments "to quit coming to Washington for hand-outs." Knutson issued a statement immediately after the Nov. 5 election putting tax reduction at the lop of the list for the new Congress. A 20 per cent slash would mean a saving of about three billion dollars lo individual taxpayers. Moreover, Knudsen said the new Congress would act to reduce or eliminate the excise levies.

Congress last year, in the first legislation cutting taxes in 16 years, reduced Ihe burden of tax payers by six billion dollars. This action erased 12 million low income persons from the tax rolls completely and repealed the P5 per cent war-imposed excess profits levy on corporations. C. 1.0. Unions End Ship Strike San Francisco, Nov.

19 (AP) The committee for maritime unity announced officially tonight that C.I.O. longshoremen and C.I.O. marine engineers would end their strike at 8 a. m. Wednesday but A.

F. of L. deck officers announced they would set up picket lines until they had reached their own decision. Thus the 50-day-old West Coast waterfront tienp seemed certain to continue through Saturday, at least, despite ratification nf agreements by the two C.I.O. unions.

Limited number of Sipuiel Plunon fur Immediate delivery, nily with confidence at Emerson's 143 N. Main. -Adv. Sam Loeb 125 N. Water.

For comfort and appearance get an All Wool Botany srflrf. Availahle In, Maroon, Yellow, or White he received earlier in the day when his tank truck, containing 3.475 gallons of gasoline, exploded and burned following Gas Transport Fatally, 2 Hurt Lincoln. Nov. 19 (Staff) Second degree burns at 11 a. m.

today when his gasoline transport truck collided with an automobile near Emden, proved fatal at 8:30 p. m. to Walter Nellies, 32, of Cenlralia. He died in St. Clara's hospital from second degree burns extending from the waist to the top of his head.

Also injured in the accident were A. D. Short, 75, of Emden, a former Logan county supervisor, and William Awe, Lincoln, highway maintenance supervisor. Short was driver of the car which collided with the gasoline truck at the intersection of route 119 and 121 northeast of Emden. He was receiving treatment for a severe head injury and bruises about the body In Deaconess hospital tonight.

Awe received severe burns on his hands when ho pulled Nettles, un- Pay Slower on Credit Accounts New York, Nov. 19 (AP) The National Retail Dry Goods association reported today a survey of 136 retail stores disclosed slower payments on charge accounts and a trend among stores to keep a closer watch on credit risks and limits. Most of the credit managers who contributed to the survey believed that more caution should be used in granting credit and offered tho following reasons: Less lake-home pay; fewer assured incomes and less government pay; less plentiful cash, particularly among small-salaried workers; increased cost of living, decreased purchasing value of the dollar; uncertainty over future; layoffs due to strikes. Many credit managers reported a trend to far more use of credit by large numbers of people who either have never used credit before or have been on a cash basis for a long time. Also noted was a tendency to overbuy, and particularly a tendency on the part of young people to pyramid their accounts.

South Bend Hotel Fire Routs Guests South Bend, Nov. 19 (AP) Many of (he 125 guests nt the Southern hotel were routed today by a third-story fire which was confined to a single room by a fire-proof wall und early arrival of firemen. fluy now for Xmns-Hwnnk Jewelry $1.00 lo $5 00. Swank Billfolds 2.S0 to 1 60. Wool hpoi Shirts Plnuls A- Plain $7 20 to $14 no.

Hayon Hporl Shirts Plaids Plain $6 Oo. Hrnvy Sport. Jarkrts Plnin colors and tours $10 2.1 to J27.50. Campbell WrlBlit Fur Pelt Hals Jfl.50 to $12 SO, All wool Fleece Topcoats Specinl $23. 50.

Laree Selection Mens YounK Mens Slacks $8.10 to $14.50 Frisch. it Beggs, 103 5. Main -Adv. High Low Boston 52 30 New York 52 37 Miami 78 66 Chicago 50 30 Detroit 54 35 Bismarck 26 19 Des Moines 59 33 Kansas City 61 38 St. Paul 47 30 Omaha 58 33 St.

Louis 62 33 Denver 50 30 Los Angeles 61 43 Seattle 39 30 Winnipeg 11 06 Actress Brings Suit Los Angeles, Nov. 19 (AP) Actress Laraine Day filed suit today for a divorce from James Ray Hendricks, former movie singer and now executive of a Santa Monica airport. She charged menial cruelty. They were married in 1912 and separated Nov. 14.

Don't forttet. lo HUend Hrrht's clearance Rnle! Coats. Suits, Dresses. Flouses, Sweaters Reduced up to la Price. Hccht'a.

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